Essay about Malcolm X

Submitted By jakiahuguely1225
Words: 399
Pages: 2

Reflective Speech Essay
“The Ballot or the Bullet”
This speech is by Malcoln X and was presented on April 3, 1964. It speaks about how blacks should fight for civil-rights in America. He emphasizes the importance of voting as a solution to ending discrimination against Blacks. He addresses both the poor voting decisions and also the denial of legitimate voting rights to Blacks. Because elections had been so narrowly decided in recent elections, the Black vote is the deciding factor in elections. When candidates promise to pass favorable legislation, Blacks must hold them accountable in elections. Whites also have prevented Blacks in the electoral process. In the North, white politicians have gerrymandered the voting lines when Blacks are a majority in a voting district to prevent Blacks from being elected. In the South, Blacks are outright denied voting privileges. Malcolm X says that either "the ballot or the bullet" will come next in the civil rights struggle. This means that government must allow Blacks to legitimately vote or else violence will be their means to influence government. A second solution to the civil rights struggle is to change the discrimination of Blacks from a civil rights issue to a human rights issue. This would allow Blacks to take their case to the United Nations. The UN has a committee which deals with human rights and Blacks could also address the general assembly. Currently dealing with discrimination as a civil rights issue makes it an American problem which America should solve. By changing this to a